16. Then he said, “Hurry! Send someone to warn David not to spend the night on this side of the river. He must get across the river, so he and the others won't be wiped out!”
17. Jonathan and Ahimaaz had been waiting at Rogel Spring because they did not want to be seen in Jerusalem. A servant girl went to the spring and gave them the message for David.
18. But a young man saw them and went to tell Absalom. So Jonathan and Ahimaaz left and hurried to the house of a man who lived in Bahurim. Then they climbed down into a well in the courtyard.
19. The man's wife put the cover on the well and poured grain on top of it, so the well could not be seen.
20. Absalom's soldiers came to the woman and demanded, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”The woman answered, “They went across the stream.”The soldiers went off to look for the two men. But when they did not find the men, they went back to Jerusalem.
21. After the soldiers had gone, Jonathan and Ahimaaz climbed out of the well. They went to David and said, “Hurry! Get ready to cross the river!” Then they told him about Ahithophel's plan.